Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Blackberry Bundt with Lemon Verbena - Brombeer-Gugelhupf mit Zitronenverbene


It ist he beginning of July and that means we are in the midst of berry season - especially the blackberries look just wonderful this year. It also the time of year when our lemon verbena bush also called lemon beebrush (in latin aloysia citrodora – citrodora meaning „lemon-scented“) , has grow considerably and its lovely leaves are ready to be picked and put to good use in my kitchen.
Es ist Anfang Juli und das bedeutet Beerenzeit – besonders die Brombeeren haben es mir dieses Jahr angetan. Und dann wächst gerade auch unsere intensiv nach Zitrone duftende Zitronenverbene (Aloysia citrodora), auch Zitronenstrauch oder Zitronenduftstrauch genannt, zu einem großen Strauch heran. Die beste Zeit die wunderbar aromatischen Blätter in meiner Küche zu verwenden.




The long, glossy leaves of the lemon verbena  are slightly rough to the touch and emit a powerful scent reminiscent of lemon when bruised. They can be added to eveything from fruit salads, to pudding and ice cream (infusion). The leaves can also be made into a wonderfully refreshing drink. If you add hot water to the fresh leaves and let them steep for a good thirty minutes, you will be left with a lovely tea. The French like to brew a tea called „Verveine“ with the dried leaves that render a yellowish, slightly green cup of tea with an intense lemon flavor that can also be enjoyed when cold.
Die Blätter der Zitronenverbene kann man für Salate, aber auch zum Kochen und zum Würzen von Süßspeisen wie Obstsalat, Pudding und Eis verwenden. Die Zitronenverbene wird auch für die Zubereitung von Getränken genutzt. Legt man frisch gepflückte Zitronenverbenen-Blätter für zirka dreißig Minuten in heißes Wasser, so erhält man einen wunderbaren Tee. Das zitronige Aroma der Zitronenverbene ist besonders in Frankreich als Tee sehr beliebt und ist dort als „Verveine“ bekannt, man verwendet dafür die getrockneten Blätter und erhält einen gelbgrünen Tee mit intensiver Zitrusnote, den man im Sommer auch eiskalt trinken kann kann. 




The finely chopped leaves can also be added to cookie dough, like I do when I bake my Black Currant Cookies with Lemon Verbena (the recipe can be found here), or to a cake batter.

I like to bake lemon loaf cakes with the leaves but today I decided to add the finely chopped leaves to my Blackberry Bundt with Lemon Verbena. The recipe for this fragrant little summertime Bundt combines the flavors of the blackberries with lemon verbena in the most delicious of ways.
Aber man kann die feingeschnittenen Blätter auch in Keksteig verarbeiten, wie zum Beispiel bei meinen Schwarze Johannisbeer-Keksen mit Zitronenverbene (das rezept findet man hier) oder man gibt sie in einen Kuchenteig.

 Ich backe oft einen Zitronenkuchen mit Zitroneneverbene, heute gibt es mal einen Brombeer-Gugelhupf mit Zitronenverbene. Dann schmeckt der kleine, sommerliche Gugelhupf nicht nur wunderbar nach Brombeeren, sondern hat auch noch einen ganz leichten, angenehmen Zitronengeschmack.




Blackberry Bundt with Lemon Verbena

Ingredients for the Bundt
  • 125 grams of fresh blackberries 
  • 160 grams plain (AP) flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • a pinch of fine sea salt
  • ½ vanilla bean
  • 125 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 120 grams superfine (caster) sugar
  • 60 ml milk, room temperature
  • 3 tbsps fresh lemon verbena leaves, finely chopped 

Ingredients for the Icing
  • 50 grams powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ tbsps cream (or milk)
  • some blackberry juice (to get a lovely light purple hue for the icing)
Brombeer-Gugelhupf mit Zitronenverbene

Zutaten für den Gugelhupf
  • 125  Gramm frische Brombeeren
  • 160  Gramm Weizenmehl
  • 1 ½  TL Backpulver
  • eine Prise feines Meersalz
  • ½ Vanilleschote
  • 125 Gramm Butter, ungesalzen, Zimmertemperatur
  • 120 Gramm feinster Backzucker
  • 2 Eier (L), Freiland oder Bio
  • 60 ml Milch, Zimmertemperatur
  • 3 TL frische Zitronenverbene, feingehackt

Zutaten für den Guss
  • 50  Gramm Puderzucker
  • 1 ½  EL Sahne (oder Milch)
  • ein wenig Brombeersaft (wenn man einen hell-violetten Guss macht)



Preparation
  1. Butter and flour a small Bundt cake pan (750 ml capacity). Pre-heat oven to 175 degrees Celsius (150 degrees convection) which is 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Sort through and clean the blackberries.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  4. Using a small kitchen knife, split the vanilla bean half and scrape out the seeds with the back of the knife.*
  5. In a medium bowl, using your mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and the vanilla seeds.This will take about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and continue to mix until well combined.This will take about 30 seconds per egg.
  6. To the butter mixture add the finely chopped lemon verbena leaves and mix briefly, just until combined.
  7. Add flour and milk alternatively to the butter mixture. Starting and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined.
  8. To the prepared Bundt pan add half the batter, then the blackberries and the remaining batter. 
  9. Bake for about 40 minutes or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with only dry crumbs attached.
  10. Let the baked cake cool for about 10 minutes in the cake pan on a wire rack. Then carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
  11. For the icing, in a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cream and blackberry juice until you have a pourable consistency. Add a little extra cream if the mixture is too thick. The icing should drip down the sides of the cake. Add a few blackberries for decoration.

* Note: Use the vanilla bean to make some vanilla sugar. Add the scraped vanilla bean and some sugar to a twist-off jar. Leave for a few days to infuse the sugar with the vanilla aroma. The homemade vanilla sugar is ready for use after three to four days.
Zubereitung
  1. Eine kleine Gugelhupfform (750 ml Inhalt) gründlich fetten und mit Mehl ausstäuben. Backofen vorheizen (E-Herd: 175 °C/ Umluft: 150 °C).
  2. Brombeeren verlesen
  3. In einer Schüssel das Mehl mit dem Backpulver mischen. 
  4. Die halbe Vanilleschote längs aufschneiden und das Vanillemark mit dem Messerrücken herauskratzen.*
  5. Butter, Zucker und das Vanillemark in eine Schüssel geben und mit den Quirlen des Handrührers mindesten 5 Minuten schaumig schlagen. Eier einzeln jeweils 1⁄2 Min. unterrühren. 
  6. Die fein gehackte Zitronenverbene dazu geben und nur kurz unterrühren.
  7. Mehl und Milch abwechselnd zugeben. Mit dem Mehl beginnen und enden. Jeweils nur kurz unterrühren.
  8. Den Teig abwechselnd mit den Brombeeren in die Backform füllen und glatt streichen.
  9. Im heißen Ofen bei 175 Grad auf dem Rost im unteren Ofendrittel zirka 40 Minuten backen, zur Sicherheit eine Holzstäbchenprobe machen. Bleibt kein Teig haften, Kuchen herausnehmen.
  10. Den Kuchen 10 Minuten in der Form auskühlen lassen, dann vorsichtig aus der Form auf ein Kuchengitter stürzen, auskühlen lassen.
  11. Für den Guss, in einer mittelgroßen Schüssel den Puderzucker, Sahne und Brombeersaft zu einem glatten Guss verrühren. Nach Bedarf den Guss mit etwas mehr Sahne verdünnen. Den Guss über den Kuchen verteilen. Dabei an den Seiten des Kuchens herunter tropfen lassen. Einige Brombeeren auf den Guss verteilen.

*Tipp:  Die ausgekratzte Vanilleschote für Vanillezucker weiter verwenden. Dafür die Schote mit etwas Zucker in ein Schraubdeckelglas geben, stehen lassen. Nach drei bis vier Tagen hat man echten Vanillezucker.




This Blackberry Bundt with Lemon Verbena is a light, summertime cake. It is moist from the addition of the blackberries and has a hint of citrussy flavor from the lemon verbena leaves that harmonize so well with the vanilla. It is a perfect afternoon treat. Ideal for this time of year. And quickly put together.

If you cannot find lemon verbena you can use the grated zest of an organic lemon instead, or use the zest of an organic lime if you like the green specks in the batter. And you can easily double the recipe and increase baking time by about 20 minutes for a 12-cup capacity bundt.

Enjoy your summertime baking – there is more to come this week – so make sure to visit my blog again this week! It will be worth your while because the next cake will be equally as delicious as this one - moist and studded with more sweet summer fruits!
Dieser Brombeer-Gugelhupf mit Zitronenverbene ist ein leckerer, sommerlicher Kuchen. Saftig von den Brombeeren und leicht zitronig von der Zitronenverbene, mit einem Hauch von Vanille von der Vanilleschote – ein richtig schöner kleiner Nachmittagskuchen. Ideal für die Jahreszeit. Und schnell gemacht.

Wenn man keine Zitronenverbene Blätter hat, kann man auch die geriebene Schale einer Bio-Zitrone nehmen oder man gibt Bio-Limettenschale an den Teig, dann hat der Kuchen auch so nette kleine grüne Sprenkel. Das Rezept läßt sich auch verdoppeln (1.5 L Backform), dann aber bitte zirka 20 Minuten länger backen.

Gutes Gelingen und viel Spaß beim Backen von Sommerkuchen – es gibt diese Woche noch mehr davon – also, nicht vergessen,  meinen Blog diese Woche nochmals zu besuchen, es lohnt sich! Denn der nächste Kuchen ist genauso saftig und voller Sommerobst und genauso wunderbar wie dieser!

32 comments:

  1. You had me on Blackberry, Honey.
    Exquisite. Lush. Colorful. Summery.
    This pretty much has it all. xx LOVE from MN.

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    1. Dear Kim, blackberries are quite fabulous indeed - deep, dark burgundy color, earthy, yet tart taste and paired with citrussy lovely lemon verbena from the garden and some wonderfully sweet vanilla, this cake is quite a summery treat!
      Thank you for your kind words, my dear!

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  2. Hi Andrea, this is a wonderful cake that screams summer, love your presentation. I used to have a huge verbena plant, almost like a small tree, last winter it got a little too cold and it did not make it. Oh how I miss the lovely smell.

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    1. Cheri, thank you very much - the smell of lovely lemon verbena is impossible to beat - you are absolutely right! And it is just wonderful in baked goods, not only as a tea.

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  3. So pretty Andrea. I just stopped at a farm stand and couldn't resist buying a big carton of blackberries. We had them for breakfast but I was thinking of something sweet. This is perfect, it looks so.... good!

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    1. Dear Chris, blackberries have a short season and a very short shelf life, so I also always buy extra for munching on while baking a cake with them - thank you for your comment.

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  4. I couldn't think of a more delicious combination of flavors - so perfect blackberry's and lemon verbena - I have verbena growing in the garden - just have to find the blackberries!
    mary

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    1. Mary, lemon verbena is just one of the very best culinary herbs to plant among the other ones in the garden - it grows so well alongside rosemary, thmye and co. - and this cake is certainly worth making - you can easily double the recipes and increase baking time by 20 minutes for a 12-cup capacity bundt.

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  5. Wow Andrea, such a beautiful bundt cake...I love the filling in it...I have never used lemon verbena...and would love to try it in my cooking...
    Thanks for this wonderful recipe...have a great week dear :D

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    1. Juliana, nice to hear from you - yes, it is a lovely little cake that ´s perfect for summertime baking - thank you for the comment.

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  6. Gorgeous photos of your bundt cake, just love the sharp images...makes the cake looks so real and tempting regretfully, I have not seen this lemon verbena around here so would not be able to try it.

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    1. Jeannie, lemon verbena is a very common herb around the world and this shrub grows easily - in case you would actually want to make this bundt, you can always replace the lemon verbena with grated peel from one organic lemon or use the zest of an organic lime if you like the little green specks in the batter.

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  7. Did you change the look for your blog? I think it's a very suttle change, but I love it! I also like how you make it bilingual! Der Kuchen sieht auch total lecker aus. Ich backe nicht so oft, normalerweise nur Plätzchen, weil ich einfach keine gute Bäckerin bin ;). Schöne Fotos wie immer übrigens :).

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    1. Oh, wie schön, ein deutsch-englischer Kommentar für meinen deutsch-englisch Blogeintrag! Also, das Format ist zweisprachig für meine eigenen Posts und für die FFwD (French Fridays with Dorie) Gruppe und den CCC (Cottage Cooking Club) auf englisch - weil mir leider die Zeit fehlt, alle Posts zu übersetzen. Ab er ich gebe mir Mühe...lieben Dank für deinen tollen Kommentar und ganz herzlichen Glückwunsch nochmals zu deinem tollen Buch! Respekt!

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  8. Gorgeous photos of the bundt cake! Cant really get away with any berry recipes.... I am back into form Andrea.. had a good four week break with family and friends and hope to catch up with all your posts regularly :)

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    1. Good to see you are back at blogging - hope you had a wonderful time with family and friends and will share many great recipes with us soon.

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  9. This is such a beautiful cake, Andrea! We picked fresh berries in Oregon, and I wish I could have brought some home to make this. I love the thought of the sweet berries paired with the lemon verbena. Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Monet, a nice teatime cake - no difficult to make at all and a delcious way to use those wonderful blackberries that can sometimes be hard to find in markets - that seems to be mostly due to the fact that they have such a short shelf life.

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  10. What a luscious looking bundt cake, Andrea! I have never used blackberries in baking, only eating out of hand or in a fruit salad. I must remember this - sounds amazing.

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    1. Cathleen, the time just seemed right to be baking a few summery cakes this week - lost of delicious veg available atthe farmers´ markets but also lots of different and absolutely amazing berries that always seem to beg to be turned into a sweet little dessert.

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  11. Liebe Andrea, wieder einmal tolle Fotos und ein tolles Rezept! Leider habe ich gestern alle Himbeeren zu Marmelade verkocht, sonst hätte ich den Kuchen vielleicht mit Himbeeren gebacken.... So werde ich am Wochenende Blackberries auf der Farm pflücken und dann die Familie mit dem Kuchen überraschen. Meine neues Lemonverbenapflaenzchen hat noch nicht viele Blätter, der grosse Busch ist leider im Winter erfroren... Danke!

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    1. Liebe Wally, wie schön, dass dir der Kuchen gefällt - lässt sich selbstverständlich auch mit Himbeeren oder Blaubeeren backen und schmeckt auch ganz ausgezeichnet wenn man etwas Bio-Zitronenabrieb zu dem Teig gibt (anstatt der Verbene).
      Herzlichen Dank für deinen lieben Kommentar und viel Sommer-Grüße,
      Andrea

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  12. This much be THE most perfect of all bundt cakes! We have fresh blackberries at the market and I must make this soon, especially as I know have lemon verbena! Viel Dank für das Geben uns dieses wunderbaren Rezepts! ~ David

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    1. Dear Andrea - I just noticed that you say the oven is at 175° Fahrenheit. Should that be 350°F?

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    2. Dear David, thanks for the eagle eye - the correction has been made! That what happens when I am in an English state of mind while writing the English translation of the recipe! Fahrenheit is all I can think about!

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    3. David, you will love this cake - a small summertime treat with wonderful blackberries and lemon verbena - love baking seasonally. Thank you so much for the comment - if you do get a chance to bake this, please let me know how it turned out!
      Lieben Dank und ganz herzliche Grüße!
      Andrea & Co.

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    4. I am baking it today! My lemon verbena is young so I might need to augment the leaves with lemon zest. I hope that works! I will let you know how it works out! Liebe Gruße! David

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    5. Dear Andrea - I am sorry it has taken me so ling to write back! We absolutely love the cake - I used a savarin mould to bake it as I didn't have a small bundt pan. Our guest, who was raised by a German mother, said the cake immediately took him back to his childhood. He had three pieces! I did have enough verbena to make the cake, too. This will go into our regular rotation of cakes. Oh, and I used a bit too much blackberry juice when making the icing so it was VERY purple and very tasty! Liebe Grüße und vielen Dank! ~ David

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    6. Dear David, I could not have asked for a more wonderful compliment/comment than this one! Thank you, dear friend - I am thrilled that the cake was received so well!!!
      P.S.: If you did take a picture, I would love to post it on my FB page, please!

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    7. Of course I took pictures! :) I will send you a few on Facebook, although I forgot to take one once it was cut! We all ate it too quickly!

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  13. Wow, I don't think I've ever tried anything with lemon verbena, sounds delicious in combination with the blackberries! I've always thought that berries and lemon are a natural combination. This bundt looks delicious. I love your photos Andrea, they are always so gorgeously relaxing and natural, wish I could be sitting at that table!

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    1. Laura, with all that lemon verbena growing out of control in the garden plus it being one of our favorite summer time herbs - adding it to a cake batter seems like a delicious must for me every July - it lends a wonderful lemony taste without overpowering the blackberries, nice, really nice and quite worth your while if you get a chance to make it.

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